I've been working on a little birthday present and I think it's ready, just in time for the birthday guy.
He's turning 87 today, which is impressive for anyone.
For someone to still be playing after 60 years doing it is yet more impressive.
Six decades ago he burst onto the scene and took over the world.
Like an Italian Western soundtrack on legs, his Mariachi-meets-Milestones music left an indelible impression on the world and on the charts.
He got so huge, he needed his own label.
It turned out that the label he co-founded -- A&M Records -- went on to become one of the best ones in the wax business.
He got burned out and took a break, then gradually re-entered until he began having hits again.
I was watching the stellar documentary about him a few weeks ago, where they ask all these luminaries who he is.
Questlove from The Roots answered "Herb Alpert is funky."
Who can argue with Ahmir Thompson on that question? Certainly not I.
So I spent parts of the last two weeks substantiating the sentiment, courtesy of Herb's output from the end of the 1960s through to the start of the 1980s.
Herb Alpert Is Funky
(1969-1983)
CD1
01 African Summer (with Hugh Masekela)
02 Red Hot
03 The Midnight Tango
04 One Night Lover
05 Rotation (12'' version)
06 Popcorn
07 People Make the World Go 'Round (with Hugh Masekela)
08 Blow Your Own Horn
09 Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor
10 Country Lake
11 Reach for the Stars
12 Save the Sunlight
13 That's the Way of the World
14 Gently (Suavemente)
15 Skokiaan (with Hugh Masekela)
16 Last Tango In Paris
17 Rise (12'' version)
18 Mama Way (with Hugh Masekela)
CD2
19 Alone Again (Naturally)
20 Besame Mucho
21 Moonza (with Hugh Masekela)
22 Foreign Natives (with Hugh Masekela)
23 Catfish
24 Fire and Rain
25 Fantasy Island
26 Love Is
27 Margarita
28 Grandpa Lou
29 Kamali
30 Just You and Me
31 I Have Dreamed
32 Jerusalem
33 Magic Man
34 Yankee Doodle
35 Beyond (extended mix)
36 Kalahari Nights (with Hugh Masekela)
Total time: 2:38:50
compilation of Herb Alpert's stickiest funky tracks, assembled and remastered from the best possible sources by EN, March 2022
898 MB FLAC/March 2022 archive link
01 African Summer (with Hugh Masekela)
02 Red Hot
03 The Midnight Tango
04 One Night Lover
05 Rotation (12'' version)
06 Popcorn
07 People Make the World Go 'Round (with Hugh Masekela)
08 Blow Your Own Horn
09 Legend of the One-Eyed Sailor
10 Country Lake
11 Reach for the Stars
12 Save the Sunlight
13 That's the Way of the World
14 Gently (Suavemente)
15 Skokiaan (with Hugh Masekela)
16 Last Tango In Paris
17 Rise (12'' version)
18 Mama Way (with Hugh Masekela)
CD2
19 Alone Again (Naturally)
20 Besame Mucho
21 Moonza (with Hugh Masekela)
22 Foreign Natives (with Hugh Masekela)
23 Catfish
24 Fire and Rain
25 Fantasy Island
26 Love Is
27 Margarita
28 Grandpa Lou
29 Kamali
30 Just You and Me
31 I Have Dreamed
32 Jerusalem
33 Magic Man
34 Yankee Doodle
35 Beyond (extended mix)
36 Kalahari Nights (with Hugh Masekela)
Total time: 2:38:50
compilation of Herb Alpert's stickiest funky tracks, assembled and remastered from the best possible sources by EN, March 2022
898 MB FLAC/March 2022 archive link
All of the selections are from digital sources but five, which are from pristine vinyl.
That'll do it for March as we welcome in the foolishness of April.
I couldn't let today pass, though, without shouting out the 87th trip around the sun completed for one of the true Maestros of our lifetimes, and the A in A&M!--J.
Nicely done! I grew up in Southern California listening to Herb and his TJB. In fact, the first vinyl record I ever bought was "!!Going Places!!" as a 9-year-old. From there I backtracked to the "The Lonely Bull" and the rest of his previous releases, afterward getting each long-player as they came out. I stopped following him after the group disbanded in 1969, so this overview is most welcome. Thank you!
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